1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hydrogenolytic denitration of polynitro compounds. In particular, the present invention relates to pentanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane.
2. Description of Related Art
Polynitro carbocycles and nitrogen containing heterocycles, due to their utility as energetic ingredients, are of intense current interest to defense agencies world wide. It is in this context that synthesis and development of new materials such as 1,1,3,3-tetranitrocyclobutane, 1,1,3-trinitroazetidine and hexaazaisowurtzitane has attracted the attention of synthetic organic chemists. In continuation of this work aimed at synthesis and development of new energetic ingredients, we attempted to synthesize pentanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane. It was in this connection that we studied the hydrogenation of 1,1,3,3-tetranitrocyclobutane and we further extended our hydrogenation experiments to hexanitrohezaazaisowurtzitane. The details of our hydrogenation experiments which resulted in the formation of 1,1,3-trinitrocyclobutane and pentanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane are described herein.